Pit Stop of the Heart -Daniel Ricciardo bxb

Behind the Curtain

The race weekend was in full swing, and Daniel was feeling the weight of it all. Practice sessions were intense, and the constant shuffle between meetings, debriefs, and endless discussions left him barely a moment to breathe. He'd stolen a few minutes to himself, escaping the hectic energy of the paddock and finding a quiet spot near the back of the track.

Leaning against a crate, Daniel closed his eyes for a moment, trying to take in the calm before everything would rev up again.

"Didn't expect to find you here, Ricciardo," came a familiar voice from behind him.

Daniel opened his eyes and looked over his shoulder. There was Lucas, walking toward him with his usual relaxed demeanor. "Guess we're both trying to hide out from the madness," Daniel said with a grin. "But don't tell anyone. I'll lose my 'cool driver' reputation."

Lucas chuckled as he leaned casually next to him against the crate. "Your secret's safe with me," he said, crossing his arms. The sound of distant engines rumbled in the background as they both stood in the quiet for a few moments.

"So, how was the session for you?" Daniel asked, glancing over at him. "Everything good?"

Lucas shrugged. "Not bad. Just the usual back and forth with the team, you know? But I'm used to it by now." He gave a half-smile. "It's kind of like getting stuck in traffic—you're moving, but it doesn't feel like progress."

Daniel chuckled. "I know that feeling. Sometimes I think I spend more time on strategy meetings than actually driving."

"Probably," Lucas agreed. "But hey, at least it's not all tires and fuel formulas all the time. Every now and then, it's just nice to step back and... breathe."

"I hear that," Daniel said, nodding. "If I didn't take breaks now and then, I'd lose my mind."

Lucas laughed. "Well, I won't tell anyone if you end up taking a nap out here."

"Don't tempt me," Daniel joked, stretching his arms over his head. "Honestly, I might just do it if no one's looking."

They both laughed, the easy banter making the tension of the weekend feel a little more bearable.

"So, what do you actually do when you're not here? When you're not being the tech wizard of the paddock?" Daniel asked, shifting the conversation toward something more casual.

Lucas thought for a moment. "Mostly just hang out with friends, grab some food, that kind of thing. Not as exciting as you'd think, but it works."

Daniel grinned. "Sounds like a solid routine. I'm the same, honestly. Nothing too crazy. But you can't really go out in the city without getting mobbed, so I usually just end up at a café or something, trying not to be recognized."

"That's the life, huh?" Lucas laughed. "The glamorous world of Formula 1."

"Exactly," Daniel said with a smirk. "Endless paparazzi and people begging for autographs. It's a lot to handle."

"You poor thing," Lucas teased, nudging him lightly. "But seriously, you're good at keeping it cool in the chaos."

"Eh, I've had practice," Daniel replied, grinning. "It's kind of the job, right?"

Lucas smiled back, his eyes narrowing slightly in that way Daniel had come to recognize—like he was thinking about something just beneath the surface. "True. But it's kind of nice, isn't it? A little bit of normal for a change."

Daniel raised an eyebrow. "Normal? In this circus?"

Lucas shrugged, his tone light. "Well, I meant as normal as it gets around here."

Daniel laughed, looking out at the empty stretch of the track. "Fair enough. Yeah, I guess it's all about finding those little moments of normalcy, right? Even if it's just a quick chat during a break."

"Exactly," Lucas agreed, his expression softening just a little. "It's nice to take a step back sometimes, even when everything feels like it's going 100 miles an hour."

They stood in comfortable silence for a moment, the hum of the cars in the distance still faintly audible. Then, Daniel broke the quiet.

"Alright, well, I should probably head back. Big day tomorrow," he said, pushing himself off the crate.

Lucas nodded. "Same here. The calm before the storm."

"Exactly," Daniel replied with a smile. "But hey, thanks for hanging out for a bit. It was good to have a break from all the racing stuff for once."

"Anytime, Ricciardo," Lucas said with a grin. "Catch you tomorrow."

With a final nod, Daniel turned and made his way back toward the paddock, feeling a little lighter than he had before. There was something refreshing about the way the conversation had flowed—simple, relaxed, no pressure. Just two people talking as they tried to make sense of the chaos around them.